FORTENBAUGH: Robbinsville earns No. 1 ranking

With so many of the previous year’s top teams devastated by graduation, there were a lot of unknowns when the high school softball season got started two and a half months ago.

As it turned out, it proved to be another special season and a reaffirmation the Colonial Valley Conference is the deepest league in New Jersey when it comes to quality players and teams.

Although none of the CVC teams won a state title this time around, two came about as close as you can. Especially Robbinsville, which had the winning run on third base with one out before dropping a 2-1 eight-inning heartbreaker to High Point in the Group II championship game.

If they had been facing anyone other than New Jersey’s all-time strikeout leader in fireballer Ally Frei (1,414 career Ks), the Ravens almost surely would have won a state title for the third time in four years.

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In a year in which it also won the Rancocas Valley and Mercer County tournaments, Robbinsville has been named The Trentonian’s No. 1 team for the second year in a row and has received the trophy that goes along with the top ranking.

Another team that was right there, of course, was Ewing. In addition to winning its first sectional title in over 30 years, the Blue Devils reached their first state championship game. Ewing came up short, but it certainly had Indian Hills sweating in an 8-5 loss against a team that finished the year with a record of 34-0.

By the way, it’s come to our attention Indian Hills is ranked something like 12th in the country in one publication. Well, it might be the 12th best team in a country like Australia, but there are probably 100 teams in California alone that would blow Indian Hills off the field.

The list of success stories doesn’t stop there. New Egypt really delivered the goods by playing a tough schedule and then winning the fourth state title in its relatively brief history.

Notre Dame managed to win 25 games, Although the Irish suffered a disappointing loss in the state tournament, it was against a pitcher that nearly won the state title before coming up just short in 13 innings in the Parochial A championship game.

Bordentown reached its first sectional final where it lost an extra-inning battle to Robbinsville and will return its entire team next year. Don’t be surprised if you see that collision again next year because Robbinsville also returns nearly all of its squad.

Northern Burlington was another Burlington County team with a lot of young players who will surely be strong again next spring. And don’t forget an amazing Pemberton team, which came from seemingly out of nowhere to win a school-record 16 games and reach its first sectional final.

On the Pennsylvania front, Pennsbury’s youngest team in history got off to a slow start by losing four games in New Jersey tournaments. The Falcons, however, really caught fire at the end to earn a share of a league title. Pennsbury also beat Robbinsville, 5-1, in a series that has developed into one of the highlights of the season.

Neshaminy, meanwhile, finished just one game out of first and reportedly has outstanding pitching coming in from its 8th grade class. Bristol also did a great job by reaching the state semifinals.

The amazing thing is it was accomplished without the type of great pitching the area has featured in the past. This is reflected in The Trentonian’s All-Area teams (see page 45) where only two pitchers — Robbinsville’s Hannah Olshevski and Pennsbury’s Casey Bolsterdorf — are listed on either the first, second or third teams.

If the area can reload with some young pitching, some of its greatest days may still be ahead.

PARENT OF WEEK

No, we don’t have a final specific incident to finish out the year. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier the parents this season were some of the worst ever.

Heck, all kinds of BS has been going on this week at one of the top programs in the area. And this has come after the conclusion of a very successful season.

Hopefully, next year will be better and we can finally put this Parent of the Week thing to rest. And, hopefully, permanent peace will come to the entire world and everyone will become a millionaire.